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The worst nightmare for the European project is an outbreak of populism or political upheaval in Germany. Now it is looking like a real possibility

Martin Schulz, the German president of the European Parliament

As the EU attempts to stem the threat of deadly terror attacks, Germany is straining in its attempts to solve the chaos by opening reception centres and apportioning asylum seekers between nations.

An explosive political fallout is now feared.

A veteran EU diplomat warned: "Looking at Germany, especially after Cologne, there is the objective basis for political explosion if someone lights the fuse."

The concerns were echoed by Jean-Claude Juncker, the president of the European Commission, who added: "The EU was tested to its limits [in 2015] and I cannot see anything to indicate this year will be any different."

Europe has been the hotbed of terrorism since the Charlie Hebdo and Kosher supermarket attacks in Paris, killing 17 people.

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Germany is straining in its attempts to solve the migrant crisis

This was followed by the the eurozone crisis, which almost shattered the single-currency, before the influx of refugees fleeing war and persecution in Syria and Iraq pushed the Schnegen zone to almost collapse.

But the year ended as it began, with terrorist attacks in Paris that killed 130 people. Just moments away from the centre of the EU, November's Paris atrocities were planned by Islamic State killers in the centre of Molenbeek in Belgium.

Angela Merkel may decide to suspend the Schengen in a bid to stop the rise of nationalism in her country.

More than 40 politicians in Merkel’s Christian Democrat Party signed a petition to close its doors to refugees following the sex attacks in Cologne.

The chancellor has come under intense pressure to change her “open-door” policy after it was revealed asylum seekers were among suspects in the vicious New Year’s Eve attacks.

More than 650 women have now come forward to file criminal complaints over the attacks, around 45 per cent of them for sexual assault.

Migrant Crisis: Mass exodus from the migrant camp continues

Tue, October 25, 2016

Hundreds of migrants are continuing to arrive in Europe as they flee the scenes of chaos and brutality of the Islamic State in the Middle East.

Yesterday Mrs Merkel's government announced plan to make it easier to deport foreign criminals after the public outrage over the New Year attacks.

"With this proposal we are significantly lowering the hurdles for the possible expulsion of foreigners who have committed crimes in Germany," Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said in Berlin.

The changes, which have to be approved by the Cabinet and Parliament, would mean that even a suspended prison sentence would be grounds for deportation if someone is found guilty of certain crimes. These include homicide, bodily harm, sexual assault, violent theft and serial shoplifting. Youth sentences would be covered too.

A sentence of more than one year would further increase the likelihood of deportation, de Maiziere said.

"That's a hard but right response by the state to those who are seeking protection here, but think they can commit crimes" without consequences for their right to remain in Germany, he said.